Farmer Discovers Metallic Space Object in His Cornfield

A farmer in western Minnesota discovered an approximately 11-foot-wide metallic object in his cornfield that authorities believe may have come from space.

The debris, found near Scott Township, was described by the Stevens County Sheriff’s Office as “a large, metallic object” and “presumably a space object.”

Deputies responded to the scene after receiving a report on the afternoon of October 14. Photographs released by the sheriff’s office showed a large, charred piece of metal resting in the field. The object was not identified as agricultural equipment, and investigators began working to determine its origin and arrange for its removal.

According to the farmer, the object may have been in the field for approximately six weeks. The estimate was based on the corn growing beneath it. USA Today reports the object also bore serial numbers that could help investigators identify its owner.

Authorities say the debris poses no danger to the public. In an October 15 statement, the sheriff’s office confirmed that state and federal agencies were assisting with the investigation and removal process.

Although officials have not publicly confirmed the object’s origin, Ars Technica reports it is part of a Chinese rocket. The debris reportedly matches the dimensions of the upper stage of a Zhuque-2E rocket developed by Chinese aerospace company LandSpace.

The rocket launched on September 15 from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwestern China, carrying 10 networking satellites into orbit. Its upper stage is believed to have reentered Earth’s atmosphere over the upper Midwest, where witnesses reportedly observed fiery debris crossing the sky. The section that remains after a rocket’s stages separate can continue into orbit before eventually returning to Earth.

A separate incident in Indonesia has raised similar questions about the risks associated with falling rocket debris. Authorities there are investigating a large metallic object found in a palm oil plantation in Central Kalimantan after residents reportedly heard a loud bang the previous night. The object, described as an aluminum plate approximately 30 feet wide, was discovered by a plantation worker near homes and work sites.

Indonesia’s National Research and Innovation Agency reportedly identified the debris as a possible fragment of another Chinese Zhuque-2E rocket. That vehicle launched on October 14, carrying 10 networking satellites, before reentering the atmosphere over Borneo.

The incidents highlight the potential consequences of uncontrolled rocket reentries as space launches increase and more satellites enter orbit.

Last year, a Ring doorbell camera captured the sight and sound of a meteorite crashing to Earth.

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Image creditsStevens County Sheriff’s Office